


moments for us

by 6am



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Blood Drinking, Fluff, M/M, Sporadic Updates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-10
Updated: 2017-11-16
Packaged: 2019-01-31 15:47:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12684954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/6am/pseuds/6am
Summary: tick and tockfor our time is beyond what is seen on the clock--minific collection based on prompts from twitter1 - leo/tsukasa : shortcake2 - chiaki/kanata : daydreaming3 - tsumugi : ritual4 - leo/ritsu : unexpected5 - kuro/shu : dumpster diving





	1. leokasa - shortcake

**Author's Note:**

> this is for lee (@nyaitsuu on twinter)!! they asked for shortcake w shortcake so here's this

Soft, poppy jazz fills the bathroom completely as Tsukasa turns the handle to the shower to the left, and he breathes the steam in deeply. He loves his parents, he has to after all, but even their briefest meetings leave him a bit frazzled even now in his mid-twenties. Tsukasa isn't sure if the slight rift between him and his parents is getting better or staying the same now that he's very openly pursuing his relationship with Leo, but his mother's comments have at least toned down to an occasional comment on just how “scrappy” this “boy” is, and his father has turned to staying thankfully (frustratingly) silent once Tsukasa brings up his boyfriend.

 

The bathroom mirror is fogged completely to the edges, and Tsukasa picks up the blow-dryer on the counter and flicks it on to the highest heat. Slowly his reflection peers back at him through the steam, cheeks pink and his hair looking rather silly with how it plasters to the sides of his face. His thumb slides over the settings on the blow-dryer until the flow of air is at the lowest heat setting and won't whip his hair into something even more ridiculous. Tsukasa combs his fingers through his hair until it lays in some semblance to his usual style, and he turns off the blow-dryer once his hair is only damp instead of barely tussled by the towel.

 

Humming along to the music playing from the little speaker that has taken up permanent residence on top of the toilet, Tsukasa lazily goes through the rest of his post-shower routine. Plucking a few stragglers from his eyebrows, toning, and carefully applying the fancy moisturizer his mother had given him a few months ago. Patting and gently pressing, making sure not to tug and pull at his skin-- a lecture from Izumi he still very thoroughly remembers even though he had been on the receiving end sometime in the beginning of his first year.

 

The air of the rest of the apartment is chilly compared to the bathroom, making Tsukasa scamper to the bedroom just down the hallway. He can hear the intense clacking of Leo's keyboard and the soft _thump thump thump_ of his leg bouncing wildly, the sound still carrying once Tsukasa shuts the door to their bedroom halfway so he can change. There's a pile of laundry on the bed that Leo at least had the mind to take out of the dryer, and Tsukasa plucks through it to find a pair of boxers that are probably his and the first shirt he can find.

 

The slightly overstretched sleeves let him know this is one of Leo's shirts, if the giant alien head and the bold English letters that just spell WEE WEED weren't telling enough. It's hideous, but lined with a fleecy material that is sinfully comfortable, and the holes Leo had chewed into the ends of the sleeves are at the perfect spot for Tsukasa's thumbs to poke through. Tsukasa still refuses to acknowledge Ritsu's mentions of this shirt even three Christmases later no matter how comfortable this abomination is. After pulling on some socks, he hangs his towel up to dry next to Leo's and he leaves the bedroom, following the sounds of tapping and thumping until he's right beside Leo where he sits at the computer desk.

 

Leo is completely absorbed in his work, bobbing his head to the sound clips that are looping through his massive headphones while he flits between typing away and clicking through several dialogue boxes on his audio processor, then abandoning the computer completely to scrawl across several half finished score sheets. Tsukasa rests his hand on Leo's shoulder, and his boyfriend doesn't even seem to notice his presence.

 

“Have you been at this the whole time?” Tsukasa raises his voice just past acceptable for indoors to make sure Leo can hear him through the headphones, and Leo just grunts in reply. Leo's hand overs over the score sheet, waving the pencil suddenly like he's conducting the computer through whatever sounds he wants it to make, and he actually breaks the lead when he pushes the pencil back down quickly. Tsukasa chuckles when Leo growls at the pencil, clicking the eraser furiously to get fresh lead so he can continue his work. Tsukasa just lets him finish, knowing better than to try and get anything more than a one-sided conversation out of Leo currently. He lets his hand roam back and forth across Leo's shoulder-blades, letting his fingertips curl through the ends of his ponytail. Leo is unperturbed by the affection, still going back and forth between traditional and digital work, but at least Tsukasa has something to focus on now instead of lamenting over his father requesting him for another meeting next week.

 

He looks at the sheer focus in Leo's eyes, the way his lips brush together while he mumbles lyrics to himself just before he reaches for another sticky note to write them down. Green notes for his own lines, a pastel flower print for Izumi, a kitty's paw for Ritsu, pink hearts for Arashi, and Tsukasa's lines are written on a sticky note pad that's shaped like a slice of cake. He eyes the still unused star sticky notes that he had gotten for Leo a few weeks ago, but Leo insists he has to use the rest of the green before he can use his gift.

 

_click click click_

 

_thump thump thump_

 

What kind of song is this one going to be? Tsukasa hums to himself, trying to get an idea just from the lyrics he can see and the melody Leo is working on, but there's no telling really. He sweeps his hand back across Leo's shoulders, then pauses when his thumb brushes over that knot that always seems to settle into Leo's left. Tsukasa frowns, then sets to work on slowly kneading it out with his thumb. How can he work with this so often? It's even more gnarled feeling than it usually is, and there's no doubt that Leo had been poised exactly like this for the entirety of the three and a half hours that Tsukasa was gone on top of the several hours on and off he had spent before Tsukasa had left-- save for the one trip to the dryer and possibly a bathroom break or two. Judging by the empty glass of water and the two mostly finished bottles of soda, Tsukasa at least hopes it's two.

 

“Hnnn, no faaaaaiiir, Suo.” Leo whines, flopping against Tsukasa's side with his headphones still on, “hitting me in the weak spots, so cruel.”

 

“You wouldn't have a 'weak spot' if you didn't sit so stiffly while you work.” Leo just whines again, not bothering to stop his heavy lean into Tsukasa to slide his headphones down so they rest around his neck. “Have you even gotten up since I left?”

 

Leo nods, turning his head so he can press a noisy kiss against the softness of his boyfriend's belly. “Did some laundry, your nice fancy shirt is hanging up to dry, and I laid out your nice undies too.”

 

Tsukasa huffs a small laugh, still working his thumb into Leo's shoulder. “Those don't need to be laid out, though? There's nothing special about them.” He leans down a bit to get a closer look at the work splayed around on the messy desk. “Is this coming along? I haven't seen you write this much in a few weeks.”

 

“They make your butt look extra good, we have to preserve them!” The music still looping through the headphones stops abruptly when Leo reaches out and presses the pause button. “It's good! Super good, actually, I wanna give Naru a good solo soon. You and Rittsu should have a duet too, and then Sena and Naru can have this duet right here,” Leo plucks a few of the sticky notes from their spots stuck to the desk and hold them up for Tsukasa to see. “Then there's this _hachacha_ here, and ah-- ah, to the right some.” Tsukasa laughs again, but he can't deny Leo's request and curls his fingers so he can press his knuckles to the edges of the slowly loosening knot.

 

Leo shivers, making a little mewling sound and he leans so heavily against Tsukasa now that he has to adjust his footing so Leo doesn't topple him over. “Please tell me you've at least had something to eat today besides the toast you had before I left.” Tsukasa says, his smile sinking into a frown when Leo has to stop and think about what he's eaten today.

 

Leo shakes his head, making his hair stand on end where it rubs against Tsukasa's borrowed shirt. “Food slows me down! I just gotta do some more, I'll eat when I'm done. Pinky super swear.” He offers a sheepish smile, giving Tsukasa's stomach a few more kisses before pulling his headphones back on and settling back into his work. Tsukasa sighs, but there's no fighting this, and even with Leo running on toast and soda for the better park of six hours doesn't give him the nerve to stop the flow of inspiration.

 

It's refreshing, really. Leo had been fighting with his music recently, having more drive to huddle in bed past ten in the morning and shuffle through the remainder of the day until he could fall into a routine with Tsukasa. But now he's flourishing, visibly brimming with ideas and energy that have been escaping him for the past few weeks. This is the hardest part, trying to get Leo away from music when it gives him this kind of shine. Tsukasa settles on giving Leo at least an hour before he puts his foot down so Leo can at least help him make dinner. He lets his fingertips trace across Leo's back once more as he walks away toward the kitchen, figuring the least he can do now is to refill Leo's glass of water.

 

Tapping and humming fill the quiet air of the apartment now, and Tsukasa slowly turns over the lyrics he had been shown as he sets the glass under the tap and lets it fill with water. Maybe some kind of love song? Or as close to a love song as Leo feels like making this time. If it is, maybe Tsukasa can sway him into giving the duet to them-- ah, maybe that's a little too gooey. Oh well, Tsukasa is at least away from Leo so he can't tease him about the way his cheeks go pink at the thought.

 

Something shiny on the kitchen counter catches Tsukasa's eye just as he's turning away from the sink. It's the last of the shortcake Arashi had brought with him when he and Izumi had come over a few days ago, the pretty pink ribbon tied sloppily around the top of the cheap plastic bag and the note with his curly handwriting slightly bent at the edges. Tsukasa sets the glass down on the counter, contemplating the cake for several moments before he crouches down to grab one of the plates in the cupboards.

 

His mother was always full of it when she said that eating sweets before dinner ruins your appetite.

 

Carefully taking the little cake from its confines and tying the ribbon into a much neater bow so it can be placed on the fridge with one of the novelty cat butt magnets Leo had insisted on buying, and Tsukasa's hand hovers over the handle to the fridge before he decides he might as well go all out. There's always a can of whipped cream in there, anyway, and this cake was severely lacking in the best ingredient.

 

Balancing the plated cake in one hand, and with the water, whipped cream and fork in the other, Tsukasa pads his way back over to Leo's hunched form at the desk. Leo only looks up when Tsukasa places the glass of water back in its spot directly in front of him, his thanks stopping halfway out of his mouth when he spots the cake.

 

“You need something to eat,” Tsukasa sets the plate and the whipped cream down, holding the fork out. Leo looks at it, then breaks into a massive smile as he reaches for it.

 

“So sweet to me, Suo~,” he sings, waving his hand at the empty space next to him. “Sit with me, sit with me! The more eyeballs and ear-holes I have the better.” And even if Tsukasa wanted to protest, Leo is already unplugging his headphones so he can switch out for his earbuds, letting something warm settle in Tsukasa's chest that Leo is so eager to allow him into his somewhat chaotic process.

 

He goes back to the kitchen to grab one of the chairs from the table, and he can hear Leo going to town on the whipped cream as he carries the chair so he can sit next to Leo. The shortcake is now appropriately piled high with the whipped cream, and Leo is conducting with his fork while Tsukasa settles in.

 

Tsukasa takes his seat, crossing his legs at the ankle. “We still need to have a proper dinner,” he tries not to be too obvious about staring at the cake even as he tries to be responsible, “but a snack can't hurt, I suppose.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, I got it, I got it,” Leo says with another flourish of his fork, and Tsukasa just rolls his eyes. Leo rolls his chair just a few inches to the side, giving Tsukasa a spot to lean on if he chooses. “Now! Before we begin a joint composition to save the world,” he pushes the fork through the mountain of whipped cream until he hits cake, tongue poking out of the corner of his mouth in concentration as he tries not to let the bite tumble from the fork. “Open up! Say Tsu~ka~saaaaah~”

 

 _Cute!!!_ Tsukasa wants to shout, and he pouts when Leo laughs at how red his cheeks are so quickly, but he complies regardless. Shortcake is too good to pass up, after all. “Aaah.”

 

“No no! Tsu~ka~ _saaaah~_!”

 

Tsukasa huffs, too embarrassed to look at Leo any longer. He lets his eyes close after he makes sure that Leo very clearly sees the way he's pouting. “Ts... Tsu~ka~saa _ahhonhf-!!!_ ”

 

Leo cackles with glee, having quickly picked up the can of whipped cream and letting it loose into Tsukasa's waiting mouth when his eyes had closed. Tsukasa sputters for a moment, holding his hand under his chin so he doesn't end up making a mess of his mostly borrowed clothing. “ _Jesus Christ!”_

 

“In English! Again!” Leo claps his hands, absolutely delighted at his boyfriend's dismay. Tsukasa makes quick work of his _surprise_ , double checking his front to make sure he hasn't made a mess, and then he grabs for the still loaded fork and wipes the mass of whipped cream and minuscule amount of cake directly on Leo's cheek.

 

“If you would _please_ not take advantage of my kindness, I would greatly appreciate it.” Tsukasa says very seriously, even though Leo immediately tries to stick his tongue out to the side far enough to lick up the mess on his face.

 

“I'm not! I'm just sharing, Suo.” With no success, Leo wipes at his cheek and licks the treat from his fingertips. “Truce, truce! We have work to be doing, I want to be done before dinner.”

 

Tsukasa makes another huffy sound, but it's forced this time, just to mess with Leo a bit more. He takes the earbud when Leo offers it to him and scoots his chair closer to the desk so he can rest his head against Leo's shoulder while he chatters on and on about one song and then another. Leo even asks for him to be his “trusted scribe”, which just gives Tsukasa the great honor of writing on the sticky notes when Leo starts bouncing lyric ideas between them.

 

And, well, scribes probably aren't also appointed to feeding the one giving them the lines to write, but Tsukasa will indulge Leo just this once.  

 


	2. chiakana - daydreaming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> daydreaming chiakanas for rits!! (@gaysakuma on twibber) that was inspired by this VERY CUTE AND GOOD art lee did pls kiss it with your eyeballs https://twitter.com/babyleefs/status/928880568871272449

**From: RYUSEI BLUE**

**Subject: tree**

**tree**

  
  


If there's one skill that Chiaki is truly thankful for, it's the ability to decipher the cryptic ways of Shinkai Kanata.

  
  


**To: RYUSEI BLUE**

**We have gym today, Kanata!**

  
  


**From: RYUSEI BLUE**

**Subject: !**

**Tree**

  
  


Ah, well. That's just how it is today then. Chiaki isn't entirely sure how to feel about this predicament, he's already changed into his PE uniform, and so has Kanata he's pretty sure. Physical education is still education! It's right in the title, and Chiaki was really looking forward to actually getting Shu to participate in this round of dodge-ball since Eichi would be on the other team this time.

 

The next text from Kanata is indecipherable even to the most trained eye, which probably means he's getting a bit impatient, so Chiaki prays for forgiveness and stashes his phone in his locker and slips out one of the back doors of the gymnasium while their teacher starts to divvy up the teams. Seeing such energy in Shu's eyes..! Chiaki wishes him well inside his mind, then sneaks his way through the field behind the gymnasium building towards the biggest tree on top of the hill.

 

Kanata is sitting at the base of it, his hands moving slowly as he arranges the fallen sakura petals into shapes that Chiaki can barely make out as he nears their spot. Kanata looks up when he hears Chiaki step on a twig, and his sleepy eyes crinkle at the corners when he smiles.

 

“You're here.”

 

“Of course!” Chiaki stops when he's standing by Kanata's side, hands on his hips. “But we shouldn't be skipping class again, Kanata, what kind of example would we be setting for the kids?”

 

Kanata hums, going back to his arrangements. One of them looks vaguely like a fish, or maybe it's just a bad circle. “Our kids aren't here, Chiaki. They're still good boys, even if we don't play today.”

 

Well, he has a point. But still. “Still, we shouldn't! A hero never skips!”

 

Humming again, Kanata looks up at Chiaki. “Lay with me.” He says, gently patting his thigh. “A hero has to rest. Chiaki needs to take more breaks.”

 

Chiaki considers this very carefully, looking between the building they're supposed to be in and his boyfriend's very inviting lap. “Just for a little while,” he bargains, “then we go to class?”

 

“Maybe.” Good enough.

 

Chiaki sits down on the grass beside Kanata, allowing him to guide him so he's laying on his back with his head resting against Kanata's thigh. “There, there.” Chiaki settles with his hands resting against his stomach, smiling bashfully up at Kanata as he cards a hand through Chiaki's hair. “That's comfy for you, right?”

 

“Always is, Blue.” Kanata smiles, letting his eyes close while he continues petting through his boyfriend's hair, brushing the thick bangs away from Chiaki's forehead. His fingers are gentle, a cool kiss each time they brush against Chiaki's skin.

 

It's nice, to just lay like this. Chiaki feels a little less bad for skipping class if this is what it entails. The weather is just  _ so _ nice today, where it's perfectly warm in the sun and comfortably cool where they rest in the shade. Kanata's thighs are firm, but make an excellent pillow while Chiaki exhales slowly through his nose and lets himself settle.

 

The grass tickles his arm a bit, and he's pretty sure that a petal has somehow gotten into his socks, but Kanata is stroking his cheeks now and there's no way that Chiaki could even begin to think that this isn't exactly where he wants to be at the moment. In this calm, sleepy little spot that they've claimed for their own and visited for just a little over a month now, nothing is better than this. Chiaki feels himself shiver, feels the goosebumps prickling in waves over his skin when Kanata gently scratches behind his ears as he continues his thorough petting.

 

It's better, in its own way, than when they sit alone in Chiaki's bedroom, tangled in his sheets and talking in poorly hushed whispers while their first years sleep on the floor. When Chiaki gets to wrap his arms tight around Kanata's middle and nuzzle his cheek against Kanata's back while he mumbles nonsense in his sleep. Better, even, than when Kanata wakes up before him and pulls Chiaki back towards him when he rolls away in his sleep.

 

It's better, in its own way, than being up on stage. With Midori and Shinobu and Tetora so full of energy, to see and hear Kanata's tenor through the lyrics they had spent months poring over together. Better than seeing Kanata so tired, but more alive every time he finishes a song. Better, even, than helping Kanata wake up Shinobu and carrying him home when he exhausts himself having to be so social and to keep up with so many people.

 

Of course Chiaki loves his kids--  _ their _ kids-- and he loves the camaraderie with his classmates. He loves that Kanata has his own friends-- is he really okay with not being able to see Shu so enthused? Whatever. – but this, these times that seem so short but so perfectly long when they can be alone together are the ones Chiaki has found that he likes best. Under Kanata's gentle hands, within reach of Chiaki if he ever feels the need to reach for him, to pull him close like he does when they sleep, like he does when Kanata makes a breakthrough in the songs that Chiaki agonizes over sometimes.

 

Such a gentle tide that laps lovingly at him no matter what, pulling him in and surrounding him in a way that Chiaki has never found stifling. Calm, coming and going and sometimes just a little too cryptic, but who could be a better partner than one that keeps you on your toes?

 

There's a slightly more forceful tug at his scalp, not painful but enough to catch Chiaki's attention, and he sleepily blinks up at Kanata. The little tugs are from Kanata messily braiding Chiaki's bangs, and Chiaki huffs a laugh when he reaches up a hand to feel at the mess being made of his hair. Kanata gives up at that, chuckling along with Chiaki as he carefully undoes the messy excuse for a braid. “Chiaki has his thinking face on,” Kanata observes, tracing his finger down Chiaki's nose. “What are you thinking about?”

 

Chiaki scrunches his nose at the light touch, half sighing and half laughing when Kanata scratches it for him. “Lots of things, I guess.”

 

“Mm. The tree is good for thinking,” Kanata cups Chiaki's cheek, smiling when a trail of heat follows his thumb when he brushes it back and forth there. “Is it good thinking?”

 

Chiaki's hands fold over his stomach, and he nods. Kanata's gaze is questioning now, a curious little smile and Chiaki knows that it won't leave until Chiaki lets Kanata know just what's on his mind. But how does he express it? Between the two of them they have about as much grace with words as Tetora does with tying his shoes correctly, but Kanata is patient-- always so patient for Chiaki. The little piles of petals Kanata had swept together dislodge themselves when the wind blows through the spot, tossing that one flyaway that Kanata can never tame to-and-fro and Chiaki feels like his heart could burst right on the spot for this boy who only the ocean could ever love more.

 

But too much time will have passed soon, so Chiaki just settles for smiling up at Kanata, burning and shy but warm and loved at the same time. “I like you,” he says, and Kanata returns his smile tenfold.

 

“I like you, too, Chiaki,” he returns, and his eyes close but the smile never fades. “And I love you.”

 

Chiaki turns his head so he can press a soft kiss to the palm of Kanata's hand that's still cradling his cheek, staying like that for a moment before he looks back up at Kanata. “I love you, too.” Kanata just hums his reply, swaying himself gently to a tune Chiaki is now all too familiar with. The breeze blows softly again and, well, maybe they can stay there for just a while longer. There will be more dodge-ball games, after all. 

 


	3. Tsumugi - ritual

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> for gina @pointytooth on twitter! they asked for something sad with mugi and i wrote this one my phone, sorry that it's uhhh like this

How do you stop things like this?   
  
Tsumugi thinks a lot about things like this.    
  
Like betrayal. Like loss. Like the way his mother won’t even look at him some days, how his father hasn’t told him when he’s leaving for work or for a trip to the store or anywhere else, really. Like the way Natsume seems to have nothing but a hard glare and the downward twist of words to give him before he even attempts to make any sort of conversation with him. Like the way Sora’s kindness is everlasting and without any condition, but like how Tsumugi couldn’t possibly deserve something like that.    
  
The library is quiet today. Today’s lucky number is twenty-four. Tsumugi makes sure he only loads his cart with twenty-four books at a time to keep himself together with his tattered seams. He tries to keep his steps in counts of twenty-four, makes the deepest breath he takes the twenty-fourth.    
  
The books he’s putting away are slightly worn at the edges. Today’s lucky color is red.    
  
How funny, he had mentioned it to Natsume in passing and received a lackluster whack to the chest in response. Tsumugi had kept a scrap of red fabric in his pocket instead, not like Natsume would want to be around someone like him anyway. Sora had jokingly offered his tie that he never wears, but he hasn’t seen it in a long time anyway. He puts away an encyclopedia with an aged red cover, lets his fingers trace over the spine and takes the first breath of this count.    
  
The wheels of the cart squeak and groan when Tsumugi loads it with more books, but there are only sixteen and none of them are red. He stutters a bit and accidentally takes twenty-five breaths without putting a pause after the twenty-fourth, he puts his hand in his pocket and the scrap of fabric catches a bit on the hangnails he had been chewing on earlier in the day. Red is today’s lucky color, after all, and it’s not like anything ever hurts.    
  
Today, even Eichi doesn’t seem to have much time for him. His mother is starting to store things in his room again because she forgets which room he’s staying in and which one is their guest room turned storage closet. It’s not like anything ever hurts.    
  
Tsumugi lifts a hand to take off his glasses, letting his breath fog over the lenses and he cleans them on the edge of his shirt. Would it be better to wipe each lens twelve times, or twenty-four each? He settles for twelve, and wonders if maybe he had frames in enough colors he could be a little luckier.    
  
How do you stop these things from happening. Tsumugi takes his fifth breath when he settles his glasses back into place. Maybe he can find a few more books to make his count work right, and maybe some will have at least a touch of red on them. Should he start speaking in counts of twenty-four? Maybe he shouldn’t speak at all, maybe he can find today’s lucky sound somewhere.    
  
But for today, the lucky number is twenty-four, the lucky color is red, and Tsumugi will consider the silence of the library as his lucky sound for today.


	4. leoritsu - unexpected

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another one for gina bean @pointytooth !! they wanted leoritsu, hope yall like Vampire Bullshit
> 
> this is like. vaguely PG-13? nothing explicit though, just some words and thoughts I guess
> 
> btw if you have a ship or character + one word or phrase you want a mini fic based on drop them in my curiouscat! i cant promise ill get to them soon but they're nice to chew over while i sit in class https://curiouscat.me/its_6_am

“It's not gonna hurt, right?”

 

Ritsu tries not to sigh, which is a herculean effort on his part when this is maybe the seventeenth time Leo has asked this same question in the past five minutes. “No, Ou-sama,” Leo's skin is warm and soft where Ritsu strokes his thumb on the inside of his wrist, hopefully not too obvious in how he's rubbing his thumb against the veins there. He's curled halfway in his boyfriend's lap, legs slung over Leo's where he holds Leo's arm close to his chest.

 

Leo hums, screwing his face up for a moment while he ponders the answer he's gotten several times. “But does me turning into vampire hurt? Am I gonna get red eyes, too? I think I'd look cool!!”

 

“One bite isn't going to turn you, Ou-sama,” Leo sags a bit at that, and Ritsu chuckles, “I'm just going to have a little~, and it won't hurt one bit.”

 

Still gently rubbing at the soft skin of Leo's wrist, Ritsu gives him some time to steady himself once more. Ritsu had asked if he could drink from Leo on a whim, more of a joke than anything, but Leo had paused in his multitasking between homework and trying to make a ring out of Pringles to turn to Ritsu and ask if he was serious, and then making sure that there wouldn't be any excruciating pain between suggestions as to where Ritsu should bite him.

 

(“My neck, right? Or is that wrong? My stomach? Or maybe on my leg or something? There's a little more meat on my butt if you need something to bite, I think.”)

 

(“Ou-sama, you don't have a butt at all.”)

 

They had settled for Leo's wrist after a few minutes of discussion on whether or not Leo actually has any rear end to speak of and settling on the ease of Leo being able to cover any leftover marks since the temperature is steadily dropping and no one will bat an eye at Leo wearing long sleeves.

 

Not like anyone ever really questions Leo's behavior anyway, but he's worried that Ruka will ask questions and then get upset if it looks like Leo got hurt.

 

“It won't be bad at all, I promise. You'll have two little spots where I bite, but they heal fast.” Leo still doesn't look completely convinced, but he allows Ritsu to bring his wrist up to his mouth so he can brush his lips against it. Leo's pulse thuds a little faster, and Ritsu presses his lips more firmly just below the pulse point. He's _starving_ , food holds him over well enough, but this is a treat he's been denied for far too long. “You don't have to if you don't want to,” Ritsu says, “but I'm really, really hungry, Ou-sama.”

 

The pulse under Ritsu's fingers jumps again, and Leo reaches with his free hand to fiddle with the sleeve of his sweatshirt that's rolled up to his elbow. “If it's Rittsu then it'll be fine! Don't baby me, eat up! Eat up!” The way Leo shakes his arm in Ritsu's hold makes him chuckle again, and Ritsu gives him another kiss.

 

“Thank you for the meal, then.” Ritsu's head swims, giddy now that Leo is fully consenting. He breathes in deeply through his nose, then opens his mouth just enough for his teeth to barely scrape across Leo's skin when Leo jolts away.

 

Laughing nervously, Leo averts his eyes away from Ritsu's annoyed face. “Sorry! Sorry, I promise all my jitters are gone now! Your teeth scared me.”

 

Ritsu huffs and pouts, nuzzling his cheek against Leo's wrist. “Just relax, if it hurts I'll try and stop.”

 

“You'll _try?!_ ” Leo erupts into more laughter, twiddling his fingers to tickle under Ritsu's chin like he's a cat instead of his vampire boyfriend who is about to feed off of his own blood. “Do your best then Rittsu, I trust you.”

 

Ritsu begrudgingly accepts the petting even though it's nowhere near as satisfying as Leo playing with his hair. He holds Leo a little more firmly this time, making eye contact with him as he slowly opens his mouth again and settles his teeth against the warm skin. Leo flinches slightly, but takes a deep breath and goes slack in Ritsu's hold. With a pleased hum, Ritsu sinks his teeth in, feeling the familiar tickle somewhere between the roof of his mouth and his gums as the venom flows through his fangs and into Leo's bloodstream.

 

Leo gasps at the bite, but Ritsu is too focused on the slow flood of blood that trickles into his mouth. He laves his tongue over the pinpricks left by his fangs, waiting impatiently for his saliva to thin the blood just enough that he doesn't have to work too hard for a snack. Leo's blood is tangy, crackling over his tongue and deliciously warm as it moves down his throat and into his belly. Leo's fingers twitch, and Ritsu opens his eyes to peer up at him.

 

Leo breathes out another laugh, shaky this time. “It really doesn't hurt,” he says, in awe, “it's just kind of... pressure?”

 

“Mm.” Ritsu takes one more pull into his mouth, licking over the spot again so the blood coagulates this time. “Told you.”

 

“Isn't it supposed to do something though? Like, it's supposed to hurt or give me a big boner or something?” Leo tilts his head when Ritsu laughs, unable to be even slightly riled up by the teasing sound when Ritsu is suddenly so much more vibrant.

 

“So that's the kind of thing Ou-sama reads when he thinks I'm asleep.” Leo pinches at Ritsu's neck at that, but Ritsu doesn't react. “But really, that's not how it works, I didn't want you to get hurt so I made sure it wouldn't.”

 

Leo's eyebrows rise up high enough to be almost completely obscured by his bangs. “Wait, really? Can you make me be able to fly if you want me to? I want to go to space, make my lungs work in space, Rittsu!! You can have all the juice you need!!!”

 

“Let's just make a spacesuit, Ou-sama, I can't mess with your lungs just from biting you.” Ritsu is still just inches from the bite, eyeing it while he waits for another lapse in conversation so he can get back to his meal. “But if I don't want it to hurt, then it won't. I guess I could make it so you get a boner, but that's weird.”

 

“Is it? I guess so,” Leo leans in so he can look at the bite, marveling at the lack of intense bleeding he had been anticipating, “soup doesn't get horny when you drink it, so it's weird if I do? Hmm.” He shrugs, turning his full attention back to Ritsu. “Are you still hungry? I feel fine, you can have more if you want, Rittsu.”

 

Ritsu looks at the two tiny scabs, licking his lips. The burning feeling in his throat is much more tolerable now, but if Leo is offering... His eyes flick towards the clock on Leo's bedside table, the numbers on the little spaceship reading 11:47 pm, and he contemplates for a moment. Human bodies are so fickle, and Leo has been skimping on sleep lately, not like it's something Ritsu can't fix. “Just a late night snack then.”

 

Leo wiggles and snickers when Ritsu licks at the wound again, but he tries to hold still when Ritsu's grip tightens. “Your tongue is so _weird_ , it feels like Little John is licking me!”

 

“S'useful,” Ritsu mumbles before sealing his mouth over his boyfriend's wrist once more. The venom flows slow and thick into Leo, and the effect is near immediate. Leo sags, looking very grumpy even when his eyelids sag and he leans heavily against Ritsu where he's curled up in front of him.

 

“Rittsu plays dirty,” he huffs, pushing weakly at Ritsu's shoulder when he laughs around his mouthful of wrist, “don't make me sleepyyyy, you're gonna stay up while I sleep.”

 

With one more pass of his tongue, Ritsu pulls away with some effort. “You need to sleep, I wanna lay down anyway.” Leo continues to grump even when Ritsu peppers his wrist with soft, sweet kisses. “C'mon, you can be little spoon tonight.”

 

“Nope! It's Rittsu's turn,” Leo sways just a bit, frowning at his body's response to the bite, “you still played dirty, I deem you worthy of punishment by jet-pack.”

 

“Mm, fine, fine,” Ritsu tugs the sleeve of his sleep-shirt over his hand so he can wipe the saliva from Leo's wrist, “I'm gonna leave the lamp on, though, I'll finally have enough energy to do that book report that was due last week.” Ritsu flops around until Leo can can fully lay in his bed, stretching his arms over his head high enough that his sweatshirt rides up enough to show a sliver of his freckled belly.

 

Leo wriggles until he can get under his blankets, holding up the corner of the raggedy space themed quilt in an invitation that Ritsu quickly takes up. “Just don't stay up too late, Suo is taking us out for breakfast tomorrow, I wanna eat enough pancakes to make Sena all red in the face again.”

 

Ritsu pulls the quilt up to his chin, mumbling an affirmation while Leo wastes no time in wrapping his arms around his middle and hiking a leg up around the middle of his thighs. “That's only maybe three, just make sure you don't throw up again.” He tilts his head to the side, letting Leo nuzzle his nose just behind his ear.

 

“I woooooon't, that was one time, Rittsu,” the protest is weak, slightly slurred by sleep, but Leo still pushes his hands under Ritsu's shirt to rest against Ritsu's bare stomach. “So mean, taking my blood and then making me sleepy and then bringing up the evil pancakes. So terrible to your king.”

 

“Then my cuddles will be my repayment,” Ritsu says, “they're really special, you know, I don't let just anyone have them.” Leo huffs sleepily against his neck, and Ritsu wiggles a bit at the ticklish puff of air.

 

“Good, then they're all mine.” The leg around Ritsu's thighs pulls him in closer, and even with the near frantic energy slowly seeping through Ritsu, he closes his eyes and forces himself to rest while Leo easily falls asleep behind him, and he doesn't even mind the bit of drool that pools on his shoulder.

 


	5. kuroshu - dumpster diving au

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anon on curiouscat is letting me indulge with an enstars dumpster diving fic ;-; if you're into mystic messenger and want to read 20k of saeran finding a cat and falling in love you can read it here! http://archiveofourown.org/works/8327809/chapters/19074046
> 
> if not, all you need to know is that this is one of those "found an animal and we HAVE to keep it" kind of fics with kuroshu! this is also an au where kuro and shu are single dads who are uhh not single anymore, Shu adopted Mika and Kuro adopted Souma, its a cute au

So, admittedly, this isn't a great idea. Kuro isn't even going to try and convince himself that is isn't.

 

But the weather is getting nasty and it's only been getting colder, and he had just happened to take a shortcut through a not-so-great looking alleyway that was thankfully more full of trash than delinquents, and then one of the piles of trash started to meow pitifully at him and... well, he's always had a soft spot for smaller things. Being well over 180 centimeters makes Kuro rather soft to most things, he's realized.

 

Plus this kitten is _cute_ , a darling little calico with bright golden eyes and this funny little smudging of black on her nose that Kuro can't wipe away with one of his handkerchiefs, and the kitten is small enough to fit in the palm of his hand with minimal wobbling. This is dangerous, and Kuro tries valiantly to keep himself from getting attached, but he gets three steps with his rescue in hand before the thing just start purring up a storm and kneading appreciatively at his chest where he tucks it under his peacoat, and Kuro knows he's wrapped around this kitten's paw at that exact moment.

 

He takes every shortcut he knows of to get home in record time, but he regrets his haste as soon as his key fits into the lock and the door to Shu's – _their--_ house opens with a soft creak. Kuro didn't think this through, and he chews it over frantically as he slips his shoes off.

 

“Please be quiet, yeah?” He begs the kitten in a whisper, but the little calico looks half asleep where it's resting just under his collarbones. “I'm home,” he calls in a normal volume this time, and Shu's greeting comes from the kitchen.

 

“You're home earlier than usual,” Shu muses from his spot at the kitchen table completely overtaken by his latest project, “I just finished the alterations on that coat, I'm glad to see it hasn't been-- oh _hell_ no.”

 

“Icchan,” Kuro starts, raising his free hand in defense when Shu stands quickly from his seat without even bothering to tie off the stitch he'd been halfway through.

 

“ _Non_ , do not even start with that, Kuro,” Shu's upper lip curls in disgust even though he can only see the top of the kitten's head and the end of the stubby little tail, “you put that thing back outside or so help me-”

 

“It.. he...” Kuro pauses to lift the kitten up in front of his face, murmuring his apologies when it mewls as he lifts the tail to check. Shu scoffs, still recoiling. Kuro gives up on his search, sighing, “I don't know anything about cats, but it's gonna snow tonight, probably, I can't leave it outside.”

 

Shu crosses his arms and takes a step back like the kitten is just radiating disease. “Take it to a shelter, anywhere but here, I am deathly allergic and would rather not pass away tonight.”

 

“No you ain't,” Kuro says, rolling his eyes, “it's just a kitten, Shu, and I don't think it has a mama to look after it. It was under some trash in that alley across the bakery.”

 

“The _trash?!?!”_

 

Bad time to bring that up, maybe Kuro should have said that the kitten was buried in croissants. “We can't just leave it.”

 

Shu doesn't budge though, his nose up in the air. “I don't care, animals can take care of themselves, there are plenty of strays in that area, the shopkeeper gives them scraps. That creature would have been just fine out there, someone else who wants a pet could have taken it in.”

 

“I thought we got over your whole 'heartless' thing in high school, have you even seen it? Look,” Shu turns his head farther to the side when Kuro walks closer, carefully cradling the tiny thing in his hands, “see? Look, say 'hi', little one.”

 

The kitten, of course, can't talk, but it opens its eyes and tries to take a few wobbly steps towards Shu despite Kuro's hands not being big enough. Kuro fumbles for a moment, chuckling to himself at the kitten's clumsiness. Shu isn't anywhere near as amused.

 

“She's filthy, and she smells terrible, I don't understand how you can be laughing at such a thing.”

 

“She?” Kuro asks, trying to get another look but the kitten is more interested in being held against his chest again. “How do you know?”

 

Shu sniffs, but Kuro can see he's almost on the right path here by giving Shu a chance to boast, so he lets him have his moment. “All calico cats are female, you dolt, you don't remember that from high school biology? It was one of the first examples during our units on chromosomes.”

 

“I don't remember halfa high school,” Kuro says bluntly, “but you know about cats, we can keep her.”

 

“I haven't been around a cat since my grandmother's passed away when I was a preteen, and we have absolutely no room for a cat here.” That's a lie, there's two bedrooms in this house that aren't even in use, but Shu is on a roll and Kuro knows better than to interrupt, but giving Shu a _look_ is good enough for now. “The kids will be home any minute, and if Mika sees that he will lose what's left of his mind.”

 

“Pets are good ways to teach responsibility, though,” Kuro points at Shu with the index finger of the hand still cradling the kitten, “you're always going on about that. Mika would love her, Souma would too.” He checks to make sure that the little kiddie gates are still in place keeping the kitchen on lock down from the rest of the house, and he sets the kitten down.

 

Shu actually lifts one of his legs up in disgust, nostrils flared while he glares at Kuro when he walks to the sink to wash his hands. “Responsibility can be taught in much more desirable ways, Kuro,” he says, “and anything with a pulse puts Mika over the moon, or without a pulse even, he still gushes over that monstrous bear you made him anytime you leave the room.”

 

A swell of pride wells in Kuro's chest as he thoroughly scrubs his hands, he's well past the point of feeling even slightly guilty using gifts as an upper hand in gaining the approval of an anxious five year old. “Come on, Icchan,” he prods, grinning when Shu's cheeks color, and he dries his hands before stepping close enough to rest them on Shu's waist.

 

“You cannot sweet talk me into this,” Shu says, warily watching the kitten bumble around on wobbling paws, “I will not go through bathroom training again.”

 

Kuro chuckles, cheering silently when Shu starts to lean into his touch, “Mika has only had a few slip ups, you didn't even go through the worst of it before you had full custody,” Shu doesn't fuss when Kuro gives him a soft kiss on the cheek, and Kuro knows he has this in the bag now. He noses at his cheek, urging his boyfriend to look down at the floor. “See? Look at her, she's cute, huh.”

 

Shu's frown is deeper now, obviously trying to ignore everything Kuro is doing to butter him up, but his hands come to rest on Kuro's shoulders anyway. “Can't your sister take her in? She likes animals.”

 

“Her apartment doesn't allow pets, and she couldn't afford the deposit right now anyway even if it did,” Kuro pulls Shu into a proper hug, resting his head on his shoulder. “C'mon, babe, I'll clean the litterbox and everything, you can even name her.”

 

With a drawn out sigh, Shu closes his eyes and shakes his head. Kuro watches his face carefully, only looking away when he feels tiny paws on his leg. They both look down at the kitten, and her little smudged nose brushes inquisitively at Shu's pants. She lets out a wail of a meow, then loses her balance and flops onto her side. Shu barely suppresses a smile, and Kuro laughs heartily. “If there is a single cat hair on any of my work I'm going to shave her,” he warns, but there's hardly any weight behind it, “if she's going to stay here she's taking a bath this instant.”

 

Kuro squeezes his arms tight around Shu, ignoring the wheeze of protest in favor of pressing several kisses all over Shu's cheeks and a few down his neck for good measure. “She's gonna be perfect, and the kids will love her,” Kuro noses at Shu's cheek again, this time trying to get him to face him, “I love you.”

 

Shu rolls his eyes, but looks flushed enough from the affection that Kuro can't be mad. “And I love you, but that doesn't change the fact that you're going to bathe this monster.” Turning away like he hadn't just been squeezed and kissed to his delight, Shu runs the faucet for the sink until it's just warm enough and puts in the stopper. “I won't have Mika hugging something from the trash for a second time this week.”

 

“I washed that teddy bear too, it's fine,” Kuro says, stooping to pick up the kitten after he remembers to take off his coat and hand it over to Shu, “the coat fits perfectly now, by the way, thanks.”

 

“Of course it does,” Shu huffs, “I have your measurements memorized, calling that thing extra large? We should be filing complaints for false advertisement.”

 

“Sure, sure,” Kuro says, more focused on wrestling the kitten into the sink than anything else. Shu lets him struggle for maybe five minutes before he comes over with another huff, tying an apron around his waist and telling Kuro how badly he's doing while he butts in to take over.

 

“You can scruff them, like this,” he pinches the extra skin of the kitten's neck gently, holding her there while Kuro carefully works the baby shampoo into the fur, “honestly, taking in a stray when you know nothing about cats. You're lucky I'm being so gracious to let this mongrel into our home.”

 

 _Our home!!! He said our!!!_ “Then thank you, Itsuki-sama, for gracing both of us.” The snark gets Kuro a dainty kick in the shins, and Kuro tries to replicate the hold Shu had on the kitten when he goes upstairs to retrieve a towel from the bathroom so she can be dried off.

 

The front door opens again just as Shu is draining the sink, and the excited chatter of kids and Kanata's airy laugh erupt into the house.

 

“You two be good, okay?” Kanata says, and Shu holds a finger to his lips and motions for Kuro to stay in the kitchen as he walks over to greet Mika and Souma.

 

“We will! Thank you for walking us home, Buchou!!” Souma says with too much force for such a young child, and Kuro can hear Mika kicking his shoes off forcefully before setting them nicely by the door.

 

“Bye Kana-jii-chan! Bye Buu-kun!!” Mika hollers, and there's no reply from Shinobu after Kanata's goodbyes to the kids and to Shu, and Kuro doesn't think he's too far off in imagining Shinobu passed out against Kanata's shoulder. It feels a bit silly, being this giddy over a kitten when he's past thirty, but Kuro can't contain the excitement as he quickly tussles the kitten dry and hushes her to keep the surprise.

 

Shu is doing much better, it seems, his voice just as it usually is when he greets Mika and Souma and listens to Souma's story about finally conquering the monkey bars during recess while Mika excitedly embellishes the story with his own commentary.

 

“He was sooo high up, Oshi-san!! N'then he got to the end n' he jumped over the big ol' mud puddle!” Mika is throwing his arms up in the air as he follows Shu into the kitchen, barely waiting for him to open the kiddie gate to let them in. Souma looks immensely proud of himself, and Kuro feels rather accomplished himself to see that the ponytail he had put Souma's hair in had stayed relatively put throughout the day's adventures.

 

Shu puts himself between Kuro and their kids, looking rather serious when he puts his hands on his hips. Mika's excitement dies down just a little, and he only seems to settle when Shu decides it's better to crouch and be right at his level along with Souma. “Now, I need you to settle for a moment, Mika,” Shu starts, and Mika bobs his head quietly, and Kuro laughs quietly to himself at Souma's stoic expression, “Kuro has a surprise for you and Souma, and you must be quiet.”

 

“Okay,” Mika whispers, and Souma puts a finger to his lips and nods. Kuro holds the towel in one hand and scrambles to get his phone from his pocket and loads the camera app. “Whaddis it?”

 

“ _What_ is it, Mika,” Shu corrects, “both of you sit on the floor and make a space.”

 

Souma and Mika immediately drop to the floor, legs outstretched with their toes touching to make a lopsided diamond with their legs. “Close your eyes,” Kuro starts recording after handing the bundle to Shu once Mika has his hands clapped over his eyes and Souma has his scrunched tightly shut. Shu nearly laughs when he sees Kuro excitedly recording, and he sets the towel down on the tiled floor of the kitchen, pulling back the corners so she sits between the two boys. Souma's eyebrows furrow when he feels the damp towel touching him, but he obediently keeps his eyes shut.

 

“Alright, you can look.”

 

Mika drops his hands, and Shu holds a hand over to his mouth to stifle the snorting laugh that escapes him when Mika's mouth immediately drops open and he stares up at Shu and Kuro. Souma isn't in much better shape, eyes wide as he stares the kitten where she's licking her paw between them.

 

“It's a cat,” Souma says, already sniffling.

 

Mika looks down at the kitten, then at Shu, then at Kuro, then back at the kitten.

 

“Yeah,” Kuro snickers, “I found her on my way home, she doesn't have a mommy so I took her home.”

 

“We're _keeping her?_ ” Mika asks, still whispering like Shu had said to, but he immediately bursts into tears when Shu nods. “We have a _kitty..!!”_ He wails, and Souma carefully crawls around the kitten to throw his arms around Mika and cry with him.

 

“Oh good grief,” Shu sighs, but he's smiling. He crouches down on his heels again, moving the towel with the kitten still on it in front of the two crying five-year-olds. “Well don't just cry, say hello.”

 

The kitten, not at all bothered by the sobbing, crawls up onto Souma's legs and meows, but Souma just keeps crying. “I love her s-so _much,_ ” he cries, and Kuro tries to hold his phone still while he laughs silently to try and keep the audio from being overwhelming. “We have a kitttyyyyyy..!!” He clings harder to Mika, who leans heavily against him in return. The kitten settles for curling up between the sparse amount of space between them, blinking up at the two crying children.

 

Shu ruffles Mika's hair and turns to look up at Kuro, obviously fighting a smile. “This is a terrible idea,” he says directly into the camera, and Kuro decides to cut the video there with a smile.

 

“They'll be fine,” Kuro reassures, already typing in a caption so he can post the video to his Facebook. He's a bit more worried about the vaguely threatening text he'll get from Kanata for Chiaki inevitably crying over the video anyway.

 

 


End file.
